Little Rituals
by The Satyricon
Summary: Its Chloe Sullivan's 23rd birthday, and she gets more than simple birthday gifts from her boyfriend, Clark Kent...33RD in the Icon Chlark AU series...Be kind, review kindly!


Little Rituals

by

The Satyr Icon

_**prologue**_

Chloe Sullivan read the inscription, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY! CHLOE!", on the cake as her guests sang out the chorus, "Happy Birthday to You." She leaned in and wished her usual wish, and blew out 23 candles. She raised up, looked around the room, didn't see Clark, but still managed to smile.

* * *

Chloe waved bye to the last of the partygoers and shut and locked the front door. She looked at the gifts on the coffee table. She heard a noise and saw her boyfriend, Clark Kent suddenly appear. He looked a bit disheveled.

"I noticed, and so did everyone else," she said as she walked back into their apartment loft's spacious living-room, "that you weren't here...didn't leave a gift."

Clark smiled.

"No. Don't give me that smile, Clark," Chloe said and gathered up the wrapping paper that she had shredded off her gifts. Clark opened a trash bag and she stuffed the paper in it. "No Kent Charm will get you out of this." She walked out of the room.

"I have your gift," Clark said as she came back from tossing the bag in the trash compactor. "I have alot, actually. And I do apologize, babes...there was...a need for me."

Chloe understood; sometimes she hated whatever took her Clark from her side, but she also knew just what extremes it took to pull him away. She smiled, and Clark looked instantly relieved.

"Well, Clark, " She said as she sat on the sumptious couch, "Why didn't you give them to me?"

Clark stood, casually floated up to the loft's skylight, opened a hinge and grabbed a metal box. Chloe smiled at her lover, her hero, and shook her head. He was the most powerful being on the planet, and she was sass-talking him. Every night, since 8th grade, she wished for him to like her, to love her, and that wish was answered. And, to her utter delight, he loved her back with equal ferocity. "You always find all the hiding spots, you snoop," He said looking down at her. Chloe laughed. "I had to improvise, and then your cousin Lois just...camped out on the couch." He spiraled down and set the box on the coffee table. She laughed harder as he pried off the welded lid.

"I know you, Chloe," he smiled mischiviously. "I HAD to seal this shut."

"I know, babes," Chloe admitted.

Clark took out a single small box, and Chloe teared up as she looked at the name on the box; it was from Cartier's jewelery store. Clark smiled and knelt on one knee. Chloe's heart raced. He opened the lid on the black box and plucked out a shiny ring.

"Chloe...We have been through so much together," Clark said and Chloe nodded. She consciously told herself to breath. "We survived Smallville," He said with a grin, and she laughed. "And we survived Metropolis University," He continued. She smiled; barely she thought, as old pains ached. "But I don't think, with all my gifts, I can survive without you." Chloe felt a tear slide from the corner of her eye down her cheek. Clark reached and brushed it away. She quivered. "You make me stronger, faster, more powerful everyday," He said softly, taking her hand and slipping the ring on her finger. "Marry me, Chloe. Marry me and make me feel like a superman everyday."

Chloe looked at the ring, looked at Clark, and just nodded. Her eyes spilled happy tears and she grinned.

"My parents say you have to say yes" Clark teased. "And your dad says nodding doesn't count."

"Yes, I will mary you, Clark, yes yes yes yes," she chanted and fell into his arms, hugging him tightly. "Yes."

"Thank you, babes," He said and kissed her to seal the pact.

* * *

**_epilogue_**

Clark laid beside Chloe, and fed her the last bite of birthday cake they shared. She bushed some of the crumbs off her shoulder and he licked off some icing off her chin. She giggled. Then she remembered something.

"Hey."

"What?"

"You said you had other gifts."

"Oh yeah."

"Don't 'oh yeah' me, Kent. I want them."

Clark sat on the edge of the bed, easily gathered Chloe up, and placed her naked body over his knee.

"I have 23 spanks to give you."

"EEP!"

The End


End file.
